"But you want to get married someday, right?"
Why did I ask that? It's way too personal, and too serious a topic to discuss when we're supposed to be having fun playing darts.
"If I find the right girl, then yeah, but not until I'm done with school, and preferably when I'm done with my residency."
"But you'll still date? Even though you know it won't go anywhere?"
"Yeah, definitely, but I always tell the girl before we even go out so she doesn't get her hopes up that it'll turn into something more."
"And girls are okay with that?"
"Not all of them, but some are. There are plenty of girls out there that want to spend their twenties focused on their career. That doesn't mean they don't date."
"But what if you find the right girl in your twenties? Would you still break up with her?"
"I'm not sure. Guess I'd have to figure that out if it happened. But I doubt it would. I tend to date women who are career driven and focused more on their future success than a relationship. Makes it hard to ever get too close to them, you know?"
"Um, no, not really," I say with a laugh. "I don't really hang around those types of women. My friends all see work as just a paycheck, a way to pay for the fun we have on the weekends, not some dream we need to fulfill." I see the serious look on his face and rush to say, "Not that there's anything wrong with that! I totally admire you for becoming a doctor. It's just not for me. I'd rather have fun."
He gives me a strange look and I realize I just implied he's not fun.
"That's not what I meant," I say, shaking my head. "You're totally fun. And I'm sure being a doctor will be fun. You'll get to bandage people up and—"
He cracks up laughing.
"What? What's so funny?"
"You. Trying to shovel your way out of this and only making it worse. I wanted to let you keep going to see how many examples you could find of fun things doctors do, but it was too tragic. I had to cut you off." He laughs. "Just so you know, bandaging people up is not fun, especially when they're bleeding all over you or get sick from seeing the blood and puke on you. That's the worst."
"You've already bandaged people up? You're not even a doctor yet."
"I was a first aid worker at a summer camp. It was the summer between my freshman and sophomore year. I usually lifeguarded during the summers, but I wanted to mix it up and try something new."
"Did you like it?"
"The kids were fun, but I missed being at the pool."
"How'd you get into lifeguarding?"
"I was on the swim team in high school and my coach recommended me for the job. This will be my last summer being a lifeguard. I'm going to miss it."
"It'll probably be my last summer doing it too."
His brows rise. "You're a lifeguard?"
"Yeah. With Nate. We work at the same pool. We've been working there for years."
"I knew Nate did, but I didn't know you worked there too. Don't you work at the salon?"
"Yeah, but in the summer they let me cut my hours so I can work at the pool."
He slowly smiles. "So we'll be working together."
"Yep." I smile back, then look away. "Should we get back to the darts?"
"Sure. Go ahead."
I step up to the imaginary line he told me to throw from. My heart's going fast knowing he's watching me. I'm trying to use the correct form he showed me, but doing that makes my chest stick out and my tiny tank top ride up, exposing my stomach. Why didn't I wear more clothes? It's hot outside, but I knew it'd be cold in here.
The dart hits the wall, bouncing off it and landing on the floor.
"I'll get it," Brad says, going to pick it up.
As he does, I get a look at him from behind. It's just as good as the view from the front. I glance away, wishing I could stop thinking of him that way.
If this keeps up, it's going to be a very long, very hot summer.
Chapter Six
Nate
"Hey, man, how are you feeling?" Brad asks as he comes in the kitchen. I'm sitting at the counter eating crackers and a banana, my go-to foods after a night of puking.
"Better." I rip open another sleeve of crackers. "Haven't thrown up since five this morning."
"You're probably done. I'm guessing by now it's out of your system." He walks to the fridge and opens it. "You'll have to give me the name of that place so I make sure I never go there."
"It's strange because that's the first time that's happened. Riley and I go to that restaurant all the time and I've never had a problem. But I've also never had their sushi until yesterday."
"No eggs?" Brad asks, searching the fridge.
"No, we're out. Add them to list. My mom's going to the store today." I slide the list across the counter to him and toss him a pen.
"I'll get them myself. I don't want your mom buying me stuff. Letting me stay here is already too much."
"Are you kidding? She loves having you here. You were always her favorite nephew. But don't tell your brother that."
He chuckles. "Paul wouldn't care. He didn't see your mom much growing up. Remember how he used to hide when people came over?"
"Yeah, that was weird."
"He was really shy, even with relatives. Luckily, he grew out of it. He even talks to girls now," Brad says with a laugh.
"He didn't talk to girls before now?"
"I'm joking. He's had plenty of girls. Been with the current one for two years now." He opens a cupboard and grabs a bowl.
"Think he'll get married?"
"Not sure. He doesn't like talking about that stuff. He's like you that way." He takes the box of cereal my mom set out and pours it in the bowl.
"I talk about stuff," I insist.
"Not girls." He gets the milk from the fridge and drowns his cereal in it. "Got any almonds? Walnuts? I like nuts on my cereal."
"I don't think so." I watch as Brad looks through the pantry. "We've talked about girls before. I haven't told you about all of them because some of them I only went out with once or twice."
"Hey, man, I'm not judging you. Not everyone likes sharing that stuff. I was surprised as hell when Paul told us about Lydia. My mom was too. It made me think maybe he is going to marry her. He's so into his job I didn't think he wanted to get married, but maybe she changed his mind."
"How about you?" I ask, taking another cracker from the sleeve. "Are you still anti-marriage?"
"I'm not anti-marriage." He brings his bowl around the counter to sit with me. "I'm just not ready to settle down anytime soon."
"I thought you told me you didn't want to settle down. Something about how being a doctor will take up all your time."
"I was talking about med school, not being a doctor. Once I'm done with all the school shit, I'll get a job, find a girl, and settle down." He chomps on his cereal and we sit without talking for a few moments. "What about you? Are you planning to find a girl and get married once you move to wherever you end up?"